Firearms have been in use for hundreds of years. The two most popular types of firearms include shoulder-mounted firearms, such as shotguns, rifles, and the like; and hand guns, such as pistols. When a firearm discharges its bullet (or shell), the explosion of the gun powder contained in the bullet or shell casing causes the bullet (or load) to be ejected out of the barrel of the pistol or rifle at a high velocity.
Along with the force of the bullet being shot out of the barrel, there exists a rearwardly directed recoil force that exists in opposition to the forwardly directed force of the bullet. In adherence to Newton's Law, the rearwardly directed force of the recoil is generally proportional to the forwardly directed force of the bullet. Both forces are dependent upon the size and amount of the charge of gun powder in the bullet (or shell), and the size of the bullet (or load) being discharged. Viewed another way, bigger bullets with bigger charges usually create bigger recoils.
Shoulder-mounted guns, such as rifles and shotguns often shoot larger bullets with greater charges than hand guns resulting in the recoil experienced by a user being significant in shoulder-borne weapons.
As the recoil force is directed rearwardly through the stock of a rifle, and onto the shoulder of a user, the force of the recoil has at least two important impacts on the user. First, the force of the recoil will often cause a gun to “jump” to thereby reduce the accuracy of the user's shot. A second impact is that the force of recoil can cause pain to the user's shoulder, especially in cases where the user is shooting a large number of rounds with his rifle, such as when a user is target shooting.
As such, to reduce the pain and fatigue on a user, and to aid in accuracy, various devices have been built to absorb the force of the recoil. These recoil absorbers generally comprise devices where the normal “one-piece” stock of a rifle is replaced with a two-piece stock. Such two-piece stocks usually comprise a proximal stock portion that is disposed close to the firing chamber and barrel; and a distal stock portion that is disposed further away from the firing mechanism, and that usually includes a rearwardly directed end that is placed against the user's shoulder. The first and second stock members are slideably moveable with respect to each other. A shock absorbing recoil reducing mechanism is placed between the first and second stock member to serve as a shock absorber, and to absorb the impact and force of the recoil forces that occur upon the discharge of a firearm. Examples of such known recoil reducers have been invented by McCarthy, including McCarthy, U.S. Design Pat. Nos. D454,610, D456,872, D462,104 and McCarthy, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,481,142 and 6,481,143.
Additional examples of recoil related mechanisms are shown in the following patents:                Vironda, U.S. Pat. No. 3,451,589 (Aug. 19, 1969)        Mantas, U.S. Pat. No. 7,493,845 (Feb. 24, 2009)        Griggs, U.S. Pat. No. 5,979,098 (Nov. 9, 1999)        Iannetta, U.S. Pat. No. 5,519,957 (May 28, 1996)        Paterson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,410,833 (May 2, 1995)        Buzzeo et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,689 (Feb. 28, 1995)        Shelby et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,938,851 (Feb. 17, 1976)        Royster, U.S. Pat. No. 5,164,534 (Nov. 17, 1992)        Lishness et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,310 (Jul. 7, 1992)        Kasten et al., U.S. Statutory Invention Registration No. H1010 (Jan. 7, 1992)        Royster, U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,116 (Jul. 3, 1990)        Kiehart, U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,922 (Nov. 22, 1988)        Corrigan, U.S. Pat. No. 4,088,377 (May 9, 1978)        Linton et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,079,525 (Mar. 21, 1978)        
An interesting twist on these devices is the device shown in Linton, U.S. Pat. No. 4,079,525 (21 Mar. 1978). Rather than dealing with a recoil reduction mechanism, Linton relates to a device for simulating the recoil force on a weapon.
Although the devices shown in the above referenced patents, to a greater or lesser extent, likely perform their intended function in a workmanlike manner, room for improvement exists. In particular, room for improvement exists in producing a reliable recoil reducer, that is capable of operating reliably and durably under the extreme forces imposed on the recoil reducer caused by the discharge of the weapon and will function reliably under all weather conditions, including extreme weather conditions. Additionally, room for improvement exists in providing a recoil reduction device that is relatively simple to manufacture, and relatively simple to repair, to thereby enable the user to fix parts that may be broken, and/or to replace parts that may become worn out, without undergoing undue repair efforts.
It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide a recoil reduction that is generally reliable, and easy to manufacture and repair and which is reliable under a variety of weather conditions.